Report: Backstage Reaction To Vince McMahon's WWE Raw Appearance
What did talent and staff make of Vince McMahon showing up backstage at WWE Raw?
Mar 8, 2023
Vince McMahon's appearance backstage at this past Monday's Raw had the internet running wild with speculation. However, according to a new report, the Executive Chairman's presence didn't cause as much of a stir backstage.
Per Fightful Select, most of the talent had assumed it was only a 'matter of time' before McMahon resurfaced. While Vince's new appearance did turn heads, the fact that he was there at the Gorilla position during the show was not seen as shocking.
There was said to not be a lot of panic, though one talent mentioned that "the big tell will be if he's at SmackDown". Many expect him to be at future events, with one higher-up believing that McMahon was 'testing the waters' to see what the reaction would be.
While McMahon was stationed at the Gorilla position and was not shy about saying hello and interacting with talent, the report stressed that he wasn't providing instructions, feedback or orders. The commonly-held belief within the locker room was that Vince was there to visit with John Cena, as the two have had a close relationship for years.
The report went on to say that talent and staff were not briefed about McMahon being there either before or after and were not prepared for him to be around. Several higher-ups in the company noted that they were not made aware until he was at the building and wished they had been clued-in ahead of time.
Additionally, some talent intentionally avoided interacting with McMahon, despite believing that they may have to deal with him in the future.